The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1887-07-28

Mr.. D0Od0vey Vellum was tall, finely
built, intellectual looking man Of so.
He was head salesman in large Broad
way publishing house As he stood in
the store one morning, leaning against
an octave wonderfully cheap for this :
greatest Of novelists -madsme edition of
Dickens, he held in his hand the follow.
ing note, and wore on his face look of
the deepest perplexity:
WHEx's WHx, May 10, 1884.
DEAR Mr.. vELLUM: Papa has at last con-
sented TO your calling. He Is very eccentric,
however, and insists that when you do call all
your clothing shall be entirely of silk fabrics
| hope you understand. In fact, he will not re-
| ceive you If you do not comply. think you
had better come up on Saturday afternoon and
Sunday together: Sincerely yours,
SYMMETRY WHEN.
Of silk fabrics What in the name of
nonsense had silk fabrics to do with the
| girl he loved For he loved Symmetry
When, did Mr.. Vellnsas He had loved
her from the time he first met her that
winter at a flat literary reception. This
means literary reception in fiat or
something else, as the taste of the visi-
tors may prefer.
Mr.. Velum had for several years been
ready and willing to commit matrimony.
He had saved and inherited a comfortable
amount Of money and had been, like
many men, resting quescent in the hands
of fate Fate had been somewhat dilatory,
but when she mud ged Mr.. Vellum's upper
vest pocket with one hand and pointed
the index finger of the other hand at
Symmetry When, Mr.. Vellum knew in
stantly that the waited for visitant had
come at last. Miss When was large,
round, blue-eyed, merry-mouthed and ten
der-hearted girl of 10, with those dreams
undreamed in her look and in her sympa.
thy that are 80 beautiful in themselves
and so enslaving to the manly heart. She
lived in some small spot on the map OF
Connecticut, and had a queer old father
Vellum heard, but for these he cared lit
tie. He was devoted to her and as con.
stantly with her as circumstances permit
ted during the whole of her visit. He
would have proposed outright but for the
fact that he never had met her father,
that-to him-very important obstacle,
Mr.. Unity When.
Unity When was character. His
house was richly furnished but
quaint and rambling one-story building,
which had been nicknamed When's Whim
by the countryside, a name whose eter-
nal fitness made it stick and stay. lie
was widower of as many years. loneli-
ness as Symmetry's age. He had two
absorbing passions. One was Symmetry
and the other was electricity, but which
stood first in his affection nobody could
tell If Symmetry was his daughter, elec-
tricity was his hobby. II the former was
an alteration, the latter was mania.
Symmetry herself could not have told
which interest was paramount, and if it
was beyond her ability it was beyond
that of anybody, for outside of her he
rarely spoke to soul. He was little
thin old man, with long white hair and
eyes as sharp as rat's. He looked like
Sinbad's friend. He was rich, deeply
versed in his favorite study, and suspi
cious of everything else under the sun ex-
cept his daughter.
When she came home from New York
and timidly limited that there was another
man in the world besides her father, he
repressed his natural Indignation like a
self restraining Vesuyius, or rather Etna
When she dared suggest, however, that
that other man might call at the house
Etna erupted with roar and Symmetry
was buried in the ashes of paternal indig
nation. She dug herself out, however
and returned to the attack. The damp
ness of loving maiden's tears gradually
checked the blaze of his quite unconscious
ly selfish fires. 1t finally got them under
csntrol and put them out. The old gen
teman at last consented, upon condition
but the conditions were almost as bad a,
no consent at all.
"It's no use talkin', SYM" said he
"You've been to Pennington an know
probly a great deal more'n any gir
oughter. They alters learn great dea
more'd they oughter at boardin' school
But yer don't know anything like as much
as yer father, an ye won't if ye live ter bt
900 years old. l tell ye I'm right
about this. | don't keer how much tht
feller says he loves yer. l want to know
how much git up AN git he's got, to fight
his way and yourn through the worlt
with. Now git up an git in a man ii
nothin' in the world but electricity
Lemme measure his Electricity an theI
I'll tell yee what think of him mighty
quick"
"Oh, papa How absurd p protested
poor, perplexed and bothered Symmetry
"Absurd nothin'. Amt like force ant
Electricity the same thing? Amt the
nerves the finest Electrical conductor
known, an amt every one of 'em insula
ted as perfect as an ocean cable ? Hahn
Herbert Spencer come round square-toeG
to admit it, when first off ne wouldn't hea
to it ten years agoP l tell yc Pm right
Sym:
81 know Pm right. It's your happi
ness Pm thinkin' of, not mine. Girls
don't know nothin'. They know LITTLE
enough after they're married, but befor'
that they might as well be babes in lac
caps"
"But, papa, what is it you want Doc
mean Mr.. Vellum-tO do ?"
"I want him to wear silk underclothe
when he comes up here, an silk mixet
suit. I guess they won't hurt him.
wear m myself and they never hurt me.
"How how can l write him such
thing?"
"You'll have to 6gger that out TO
Yourself. You've been to school enough
seems to me-"
"Oh. dear r' sighed Symmetry, as sh
bent to her task. And many burnin,